Automatically rolling and rerolling a film



Feb. 26, 1935. B. A. PRocToR ,9

AUTOMATICALLY ROLLING AND REROLLING A FILM Original Filed Dec. 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 49 i7 5 5 i5 .6'0 l 17 g ea 64 62/ r g ml W" :V'" In t V Y W I Karla/7A .Proofor'.

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Feb. 26, 1935. B. A. PRocToR 1,992,237

I AUTOMATICALLY ROLLINGYAND REROLLING A FILM Original Filed Dec. 25, 1925 s sheets shee't 2 gvwemtoz Barton/1 .Prootor. g his flff/i w LUWnM Feb. 26, 1935 B. A. PROCTOR 1,992,237

AUTOMATICALLY ROLLING AND REROLLING A FILM Original Filed Dec. 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 avwewto'c Barton A Proofor.

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Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICE AUTOMATICALLY ROLLING AND REROLIE ING A FILM Barton Allen Proctor, Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to Kinatome Patents Corporation, a corporation of New York Beiiied, for abandoned application Serial No.

77,192, December 23, 1925.

This application November 8, 1932, Serial No. 641,811

- 19 Claims. (01. 242-55) The present invention relates to film projection machines and is more particularly directed toward a film projection machine arranged for automatically rolling and re-rolling a film so as to repeatedly exhibit it.

The present invention contemplates the use of two reels about which a strip of film is wound and suitable devices for driving one reel or the other reel, depending on which way it is desired to move the film. According to the present invention, a reversible electric motor is employed for operating the film reels, and suitable mechanism is provided which permits the motor to be drivingly connected to the ,film reel onto which the film is to be wound and to be disconnected from the other film reel so that it may run free. The present invention contemplates driving connections between the motor and the reels for selectively applying power to one of the film reels dependent upon the direction of rotation of the motor. As it is preferable to re-roll the film at a much more rapid rate than it is passed through the intermittent step-by-step mechanism during the exhibition of the picture, it will be apparent that the take-up reel will be rotated backward film than it revolves during, the exhibition of the picture. It is also obvious that the storage reel will be revolved faster when the end of the film is approached during the exhibiting of the film than it is driven while the first part of the film is being exhibited. As it is-preferable to operate the motor at a uniform constant speed in each c direction, it will be obvious that there will be considerable variation in the relative speeds of the motor driven shaft and the'shaft carrying the reel from which the film is being wound. Either shaft .may run ahead of the other.

The present invention contemplates the provision of driving connections which permit these variations in speed without any tendency to couple together the shafts which should remain uncoupled. According to a convenient embodiment of the invention herein shown, each of the motor driven shafts is provided with a member threaded thereon and weighted so that it will be advanced or retracted according to the direction which the shaft is driven, and these threaded members are utilized as coupling elements to connect the motor driven shafts with the adjacent reel-carrying shafts. This arrangement provides connections which will function in the above outlined manne The electric motor is under the control of a reversing switch which is actuated when the end of the film is approached so as to reverse the motor after the film has been exhibited and after it has been rewound. Such a reversing switch may be actuated in various manners, but for purposes of illustration in the present application it is shown as being under the control of devices which move'as the ends of the film are approached, these devices being interconnected with suitable mechanism for applying power from the motor to move the reversing switch.

The mechanism which I have shown in my copending applications, Serial Numbers 45,963, filed July 25, 1925, now Patent 1,695,857, and 64,096, filed October 22, 1925, now Patent 1,714,816, respectively, for shifting the clutches to connect a continuously operating motor with the desired reel shaft may be used to operate the reversing switch, or this switch may be operated in any other desired manner.

vA further object of the invention is to provide means for reversing an electric motor used for winding and rewinding the film reels, which means shall include a primary actuating means which derives its power from the motor, or some source other than the film itself, and a secondary I means under the control of the film or the reels much more rapidly during the re-rolling of the for causing the primary means to effectuate the operation of the reversing switch.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of mechanically operated'devices which engage with the film for shifting members into and out of the path of a motor driven cam, whereby the cam may apply power for operating the reversing switch, or another mechanism such as shifting clutches for effecting the reversal of film motion, as shown in the above mentioned application, Serial Number 64,096, filed October 22, 1925.

The accompanying drawings show, for pu p ses of illustrating the invention, one form of device for operating film reels from a reversible motor and one form of construction for controlling the reversing switch for the motor, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing the snap spring mechanism for the reversing switch;

Figure 3 is a circuit diagram showing the connections;

Figure 4 is a front view taken in the direction of the, arrow 4 of Figure 1, the parts being in section;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the broken line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the reversing switch and operating mechanism, and taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

The reels 10 and 11 are disposed in front of a vertical supporting plate 12, and are carried on shafts 13 and 14 which are mounted on and project from the front side of this plate. This front plate is supported on a table or platform 15, carried on suitable legs or other supports 16, so that the mechanism may be mounted in a desired location.

on top of the table 15 and behind the plate 12, a driving motor 1'1 is mounted on a bracket 18. This motor drives a worm wheel 19 through a worm (not shown), and this wormwheel 19 is mounted on a shaft 20 suitably supported in a bearing 21 which may be in the bracket 13. The shaft 20 also carries a pulley 23, and this pulley drives, through a belt 24, a pulley 25 carried on a shaft 26 mounted in a bearing 27,

carried on a bracket 28, suitably supported from the back side of the plate 12. The pulley 25 is smaller than the pulley 23 so that the motor will drive the shaft 26 more rapidly than it drives the shaft 20. The upper shaft 26 is threaded as indicated at 29, and a threaded member 30, which is heavier on one side as indicated at 31, is threaded onto the shaft 26. These threads and the weighting of the threaded member are so arranged that the threaded member will advance along the shaft 26 when it is desired to couple this shaft with the corresponding reel shaft. The threaded member 30 will then move to the left, as indicated in Figure 1, so as to engage with the end 32 of the reel shaft 13.

The lower shaft 20 is also threaded as indicated at 33, and a weighted nut 34 is carried on the end of this shaft. The threading and weighting of the nut are so arranged that the.

nut will be moved back and forth along the shaft,

depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft. The arrangement is such that the nut will move tothe left and engage with a member 35, coupled to the reel shaft 14, through the usual friction mechanism 36, to drivingly connect these shafts when it is desired to take up the film on the lower reel 11.

The motor drive is shown in Figure 1 as being connected with the lower reel shaft. It may be reversed in various manners. The upper threaded member will then move to the left to engage with the upper reel shaft, and the lower threaded member will loosen from the lower reel shaft, so that it will be unable to transmit power to it. The power will be applied to the' upper reel shaft to rotate it rapidly to re-roll the film, and the lower threaded member will retreat out of the way of the lower reel shaft and will remain in this position until the motor is reversed, whereupon the lower threaded member will advance and engage the lower reel shaft and the upper threaded member will release the upper reel shaft.

It will thus be apparent that each of the motor driven shafts is provided with means for automatically connecting it with the adjacent fllni carrying shaft upon reversal of the motor, and that in each case the other pair of shafts is automatically disconnected. The disconnected driving means is ineffective, irrespective of the relative speed of the shafts of that pair. No interengagement of these shafts takes place, such as might happen were an ordinary overrunning clutch used. In each case the motor drive to the reel is effective in driving in.one direction only;

As shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, a reversing switch is actuated by power received from the motor when devices moved by the film are placed in the proper position. This construction will now be described.

A film F, which is wound about the reels 10 and 11 and which passes in the ordinary manner through the usual step-by-step mechanism (not shown) is, according to the present embodiment of the invention provided near its ends with narrowed portions as indicated at 38 and 39 in Figure 5. These cut away portions of the film narrow the film near the ends and each of these narrowed portions of the film is utilized to actuate movable devices held near the fllm.

As here shown, a movable member 40 is pivoted at 41 on a bracket 42 supported from the front of plate 12. This member 40 carries a roller 43 which is pressed against the edge of the film by a spring 44. When the film is nearly wound off the reel 10,. this member 40 will be moved about its pivot to the position indicated in full lines in Figure 5. This movement will carry the sector 45 attached to the member 40 through a wide arc, and the cam 46 carried on this sector will move the rocking lever 47 so as to move the vertical rod 48 to which it is pivoted, as shown. A lower lever 49 pivoted at 50 and similar to the lever 47, has its free end 51 engageable with a cam 52 carried on a sector 53, similar to the sector 45. This sector 53 is part of a pivotally mounted member 54, mounted on a bracket 55, so as to be carried adjacent the film where it comes off from the lower reel 11. This member 54 carries a roller 56, which is pressed against the opposite side of the film by a spring 57 so that it will enter into the cut away portion 39, on the other end of the film when it is wound off of the lower reel to a sufficient extent to expose this part of the film.

The rod 48 is moved up or down by these cams and its lower end operates a pivoted lever 58 to which it is connected, as shown at 59. This pivoted lever 58 is suitably supported in a bracket 60, carried underneath the table 15. One end of the lever is provided with a pin 61, which enters into a slot 62 in a bell crank 63 pivoted at 64 as indicated. A snap spring 65 is connected to the free end of the bell crank 63 and is anchored to the support so that this spring will be moved past the center 64 when the lever 58 is moved up or down to a suilicient extent. This spring, therefore, will act to carry the lever 58, rod 48, and connected parts to the limit of their movement once they have been moved sufficiently to carry the spring past the pivot.

The opposite end of the lever 58 is bent at a right angle, as indicated at 66, where it embraces a sector 6'? carried on an arm 68, which is pivotally mounted on a vertical shaft 69. This mounting is such that the arm 68 may swing about a horizontal axis, while the shaft is turned on a vertical axis. The sector 67 is also connected through links 70 with an arm 71 similarly pivoted on the shaft 69. The opposite ends of the arms 68 and 71 are provided with followers 72 and 73 respectively which may be raised and lowered in an obvious manner when the rocking lever 58 is moved up or down. It is thus possible to bring' shaft '15. The arrangement of this gear train is' such that the'cam '74 is rotated at a speed of something like 100 revolutions per minute, so that the cam is available about each half second to operate a follower, provided it is in position to be actuated by the cam. When the vertical rod 48 has moved sumciently in either direction to carry the spring 65 across center, this spring will complete the movement and will place a corresponding follower in position for the cam to strike it and move it thereby moving the shaft 69 to which the follower is coupled.

The movement of the shaft 69 is here utilized for the purpose of shifting the reversing switch for the motor. This shaft may also be utilized for opening the gate in the step-by-step mechanism, but this is omitted from the present drawings for the sake of clearness. It may also be used as a means for shifting the clutches, as shown in my application above mentioned.

The reversing switch is here shown as being actuated by ana'rm 82, carried near the upper end of the shaft 69. This arm is connected by a link 83 with an arm 84 pivoted at 85 on a plate 86 suitably mounted on the back side of the front plate 12 of the machine. This plate 86 carries pairs of stationary contacts 87 and 88, 89 and 90, as well as movable contacts 91 and 92. These movable contacts are connected with arms 93 and 94, insulatively carried from the lever 84 so that these movable contacts may be oscillated back and forth in accordance with the movement of the arm 84 and shaft 69. It will be understood that many forms of reversing switches may be used.

In order that the shaft 69 may quickly complete its movement, there is provided a snap spring mechanism cooperating with the upper end of the shaft. This mechanism includes an arm 94 attached to the shaft and having a lost motion pin and slot connection 95--96 with a swinging arm 9'7 pivoted at 98 on a bracket 99 carried on the back side of the plate 12. A spring 100 connects this bracket with the free end 101 of the arm 9'7 and acts to snap the switch contacts of the arm 97.

Referring to the wiring diagram shown in Figure 3, it will be seen that the main supply lead 102 is connected with the fixed contacts 87 and 89, while the other supply lead 103 is connected with the fixed contacts 88 and 90. The field 104 of the motor is across the line all the time by being connected by the contacts 88 and 89. The armature circuit 105 is connected to the pivots 106 and 107 of the movable contact members 91 and 92, so that the armature current may be reversed upon movement of the switch.

I claim:

1. In mechanism for winding and rewinding film reels, a reversible electric motor, and driving connections between the motor and reels for selectively applying power to one of the film reels depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor, said driving connections including screw threaded members carried on motor-driven shafts and adapted to shift therealong to connect and disconnect the reels and motor driven shafts, said connections including means for providing a period of dwell between the disconnec tion of one of said reels from said motor driven shafts and the connection of the other said reels to said motor driven shafts.

2. In mechanism for winding and rewinding film reels, a reversible rotating driving member for rotating the reels for selectively applying power to one of the film reels depending upon the direction of rotation of said driving member, and driving connections between said driving member and said reels, ,said driving connections including screw threaded members carried on driven shafts and adapted to shift therealong to connect and disconnect the reels and said driven shafts, said screw members and saiddriving members coacting whereby one of said screw threaded members connected with one of said reels releases it at once from said driving member upon the reversing of said driving member, and the other of said screw threaded members is connected to the other of said reels after a short period of time has elapsed.

3. In mechanism for winding and rewinding film reels, a reversible electric motor, and driving connections between the motor. and reels for selectively applying power to one of the'film reels depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor, said driving connections including a motor driven shaft adjacent each reel, and a nut threaded on each shaft, the nuts being automatically shiftable along the shafts in opposite directions to connec'tone reel and disconnect the other.

- 4. In mechanism for winding and rewinding film reels, a reversible electric motor, driving connections between the motor and the reels for selectively applying power to one of the film reels depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor, said driving connections including screw threaded members carried on motor driven shafts and adapted to shift therealong to connect and disconnect the reels and motor driven shafts, a reversing switch for the motor, and means for actuating the switch when the film is to be reversed, and means providing a period of dwell between the disconnection of one reel from said motor and the connection of the other reel to said motor.

5. In film projection apparatus, a reversible electric motor, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels mounted on shafts and carrying a film wound thereon, a reversing switch for the motor, and means for actuating the reversing switch for the motor, said means including a reversible cam, a connection between said cam and said motor for driving said cam in either direction, devices moved into the path of the cam for actuating the reversing switch, and film controlled means for moving said devices.

6. In film projection apparatus, a reversible rotatable driving member, a pair of film winddevices moved into the path of said operating member for operating said reversing means, and film controlled means for moving said devices.

7. In film projection apparatus, a reversible electric motor, and a pair of film winding and rewinding reels mounted on shafts, a film having cut-out portions near the ends thereof and wound on the reels, a reversing switch for the motor, and means for actuating the reversing switch for the motor, said means including a reversible cam, a connection between said cam and said motor for driving said cam in either direction, and devices movable into the path of the cam by movement of said cut-out portions for actuating the reversing switch.

8. In film projection apparatus, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels mounted on shafts,

a reversible rotating driving member for said reels, the direction of rotation of said driving member determining the direction of rotation of said reels, a film having irregular surface formations near the ends thereof and wound on the reels, means for reversing the direction of rotation of said driving member, and control means for said reversing means. said control means including a reversible actuating member, a connection between said driving member and said actuating member for driving said actuating member in either direction and devices movable into the path of said actuating member under control of said irregular surface formations for actuating said reversing means.

9. In film projection apparatus, a reversible electric motor, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels mounted on shafts and carrying a film wound thereon, a reversing switch for the motor, and means for operating the reversing switch when the film is to be reversed, said means including primary actuating means for applying power to the switch and secondary actuating means actuated according to the film movement for causing the primary means to function, said primary actuating means including a reversible cam, a connection between said cam and said motor to" driving said cam in either direction, a pair of fingers operatively connected to said switch, and an oscillating member actuated according to the film movement for causing either of said fingers to enter the path of movement of said cam to be actuated thereby in turn to operate said switch.

10. In film projection apparatus, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels, a film having cut-out portions near the ends'thereof and wound on the reels, motor driven mechanism for operating the reels to transfer the film back and forth between the reels, and means for controlling the reversal of the reel drive, said means comprising devices operated by the cut-out portions of the film for selectively moving followers into the path of a reversible cam a connection between said cam and said mechanism for driving said cam in either direction, and reversing means for the motor connected to the followers. 7

11. In film projection apparatus, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels, a film having cutout portions near the ends thereof and wound on the reels, motor driven mechanism for operating the reels to transfer the film back and forth between the reels, and means for controlling the reversal of the reel drive, said means comprising movably mounted members operated by the cutout portions of the film, a member inter-connecting the movably mounted members and connected with an oscillatory member, a reversible motor operated cam, and cam operated devices under the control of the oscillatory member for effectuating the reversal of the motor.

12. In film projection apparatus, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels, a film having irregular surface formations near the ends thereof and wound on the reels, motor driven mechanism for operating the reels to transfer the film back and forth between the reels, and means for controlling the reversal .of the reel drive, said means comprising movably mounted members operated by the irregular surface formations of the film, a member interconnecting the movably mounted members and connected with an oscillatory member, a control member effective to be continuously driven in either direction by the motor during the operation thereof, and devices operated by said control member under the control of the oscillatory member for effectuating the reversal of the motor.

13. In film projection apparatus, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels, a film having cut-out portions near the ends thereof and wound on the reels. reversible motor driven mechanism for driving the reels to transfer the film back and forth between the reels, and means for controlling the reversal of said reel driving mechanism, said means comprising a reversible primary power source operable by said motor driven mechanism in either direction and a secondary power source operated from the cut-out portions of the film, the secondary power source controlling the application of the primary power source to effectuate the reversals.

14. In film projection apparatus, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels, a film having irregular surface formations therein near the ends thereof and wound on the reels. reversible motor driven mechanism for operating the reels to transfer the film back and forth between the reels, and means for controlling the reversal of said reel driving mechanism, said means comprising a primary power source operable by said motor driven mechanism in either direction and a secondary power source operated from contact with the irregular surface formations of the film, the secondary power source controlling the application of the primary power source to effectuate the reversal.

15. In film projection apparatus, a pair of film winding and rewinding reels, a film having irregular surface formations near the ends thereof and wound on the reels, motor driven mechanism for operating the reels to transfer the film back and forth between the reels, and means for controlling the reversal of the reel drive, said means comprising a reversing switch for the motor, devices operated by the irregular surface formations of the film for selectively moving followers into the path of a reversible actuating member, a connection between said motor driven mechanismand said actuating member for driving the same in either direction and a reversing switch connected to said followers to be operated when the actuating member shifts the followers.

16. In film projection apparatus, the combination with a reversible electric motor, of a film winding reel, a film rewinding reel, a film being carried by said reels and moving from one reel to the other, an oscillating member to be actuated at predetermined periods of film movements to initiate reversing the rotation of said reels, means for'drivingly connecting said reels with said motor, a reversing switch for the motor, a reversible cam, a connection between said cam and said motor for driving said cam in either direction, and devices operatively associated with said oscillating member thereby to be moved into the path of the cam for actuating the reversing switch.

1'7. In a film projection apparatus, the combination with a reversible revoluble driving member, of a film winding reel, 2. film rewinding reel, 2. film being carried by said reels and moving from one reel to the other, an oscillating member to be actuated at predetermined periods of the film movement to initiate reversing the rotation of said reels, means for drivingly connecting said reels with said motor, means for reversing the direction of rotation of said driving member thereby reversing the direction of rotation of said reels, a reversible revoluble actuating member, a connection between said driving member and said actuating member for driving the same in either direction and devices operatively associated with said oscillating member thereby to be moved into the path of said revoluble actuating member for operating said reversing means.

18. In film projection apparatus, the combination with a reversible electric motor, of a film winding reel, a film rewinding reel, a film being carried by said reels and moving from one reel to the other, means for drivingly connecting said reels one at a time with said motor, a reversing switch for said motor, a reversible cam, a connection between said cam and said motor for driving said cam in either direction, devices movable at predetermined periods of the film movement into the path of the cam for actuating the reversing switch, and means for moving said devices into said path at said predetermined periods.

19. In film projection apparatus, the combination with a film winding reel, a film rewinding reel, a film being carried by said reels and moving from one reel to the other, means for driving said-reels, means operable for reversing the direction of operation of said driving means thereby reversing the direction or" movement of the film, a reversible power driven actuating member, devices movable at predetermined periods of film travel into the path of said actuating member for operating said reversing means, and means for moving said devices into said path at said predetermined periods.

BARTON 'A. PROC'IOR. u 

